When It Rains
by GhostMocha
Summary: An alternate ending to the film. The ants have finally found the strength to revolt against the grasshoppers. Hopper refuses to take this defeat sitting down and exacts revenge on the ant that started it all. Those closest to Flik do their best to cope. Rated T for violence and potentially graphic scenes. The final chapter is up!
1. Chapter 1: The Confrontation

_Some of you are probably familiar with the phrase "when it rains, it pours." It's a pretty apt proverb to describe this story, and the fact that it also happens to be raining in the story is an added bonus. This is meant to be an alternate ending to the film; it takes place right when it begins to rain on Ant Island and the ants are just beginning to stand up to Hopper. As a warning, this story has some descriptions of violence in later chapters that aren't extreme, but that some readers might still find a little disturbing. Rated T.  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 1: The Confrontation**_

* * *

"Happy landings, Hopper!" Flik said with a big grin.

The mob of bugs were no longer afraid of the brute that had harassed them for so long. They had loaded Hopper into the circus' eyedropper cannon and prepared to launch him when the weather took a turn for the worst. A torrential downpour headed straight toward the island, threatening everyone there and sending the whole colony into a frenzy. Even with so many other bugs darting in every direction, Hopper still managed to spot Flik in the crowd struggling to walk after the beating he received. The leader of the grasshoppers wasn't about to surrender to one mere ant just like _that._ Hopper seized the opportunity when Dim was knocked from his platform, accidentally – yet effectively – propelling Hopper forward as planned. Wings spread, he swooped right toward Flik and the princess. Hopper snatched the injured ant up and swiftly flew into the rain with Flik dangling precariously by one leg. Hopper was _far_ from being done with the troublesome ant and he intended to finish what he started without interruption.

Hopper flew to a remote part of the island where the ants never usually ventured, all while dodging the enormous raindrops that threatened to knock him out of the sky. He reached a smudge of bare soil that was far enough away from the bedlam of the anthill that not even the other flying insects would find them right away, especially in the dark. With rage swelling within him, he threw Flik down from the air, sending the already-battered ant tumbling along the wet soil and rocks. Hopper landed and folded his wings against his back; he advanced on Flik quickly while the ant was trying to regain his balance and focus. Flik keeping his wits about him was easier said than done, given how many blows he'd taken to the head.

"Hopper! _No!_ _Please!_ " The ant held his arms in front of his face to shield himself. Flik's pleas meant no more to the furious grasshopper towering over him than the wind blowing around them. Grabbing Flik by the arm, Hopper slammed him into the mud again.

" _ **YOU**_ **!** You've been nothing but trouble to me. We've done the same thing every year and nobody ever had a problem with it!" Hopper growled and kicked Flik across the ground, bouncing the ant's head off a nearby rock. Upon impact, Flik cried out and slumped to the ground.

"Then _you_ had to come along, filling their heads with ideas and turning them against us!" Hopper punched Flik in the face, effectively blackening his other eye. "And for _what?_ So you could make a _difference?_ So you could be the _hero?_ " Picking up the wounded ant by his antennae, Hopper violently thrashed him against the ground hard enough to leave a mark in the soil. Flik, dazed by the beating, couldn't focus on anything but the pain shooting through his body.

Hopper leaned down and put his face right up to Flik's. "Let me tell you something, ant. _Don't_ try to be a hero, especially not with me. Because you'll never come out on top." He continued to beat the tiny blue ant and was practically making a game out of the abuse, relishing the cries following each hit and trying to see how far he could send his target flying. Hopper stopped for a moment to lean back and admire his work; Flik was too weak from the attack to defend himself or even _stand up_. But Hopper hadn't had his fill yet, and he was about to show Flik just how merciless he could really be.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** And that's chapter one! Please be warned that the next chapter has some graphic content. I mean, you can only be so graphic when we're talking about a bunch of bugs, but it may still be material some folks find unsettling. Just erring on the side of caution._


	2. Chapter 2: Loss

_I know it's only been a couple days since I posted the first chapter, but I realized that not only was the previous chapter really short, there wasn't a whole lot that happened (note that the chapters after this one will be a little longer). That'll change in this chapter. This is where the T rating comes into play._

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 2: Loss**_

* * *

"Aww, getting tired out already?" Hopper asked in derisive concern and grabbed Flik around the waist with his two lower arms. Flik's head bobbed up and down as he struggled to stay conscious. "Well, how about we just wake you up a little?" With that, Hopper grabbed hold of Flik's left arm and tore it out of its socket completely. Flik let out a long, piercing shriek that would send chills through anyone with even the smallest hint of empathy. Alas, Hopper was not an empathetic insect, especially not toward the ant that thwarted his plans not only that year, but _forever_. Those ants knew they outnumbered and overpowered the grasshoppers by a wide margin, and because one pesky ant had to stand up, Hopper's annual food supply was no more.

The more Hopper thought about it all, the more he saw red. It wasn't even so much about the food – he and his gang could get food anywhere. It was about the control that he held over the ants; it was about the loss of the fear stranglehold he had on them, including the queen herself. Hopper, as a leader, didn't like not getting his own way and he was going to teach that one ant a lesson that wouldn't soon be forgotten. He narrowed his eyes and, without saying a word, Hopper wrenched Flik's right arm around until it snapped with a sickening crack. He then ripped the broken arm off and tossed it aside. The ant wailed in inconceivable agony and began squirming and kicking in Hopper's grasp.

Hopper's smile was as vicious as ever. "Now don't waste your voice all in one sitting, Mr. Hero. We're only halfway done!" He switched arms, using the upper ones to hold the ant by the chest and the lower ones to tear both of Flik's legs out at the same time. Flik threw his head back in a tormented scream that echoed throughout the island. Tears poured down the ant's bruised cheeks, but he didn't make any further noise – he simply shuddered as shock began to set in. Flik was screaming all over on the inside, but he was so drained and stunned from the pain consuming what was left of his body that he didn't have the strength to cry out any longer. Clear blood oozed steadily from the four open wounds where the ant's limbs once were, and the same clear fluid was splashed all over Hopper and his hands *****. Hopper grinned, pleased with what he'd done, and dropped Flik like a rock while laughing. The only sound Flik made was his impact against the ground.

"Oops. Butterfingers." Hopper looked quite smug as he stood over his victim – a shattered spirit trapped within a pitiful, limbless body. Still in shock, Flik did nothing but stare blankly up into the sky, even after Hopper kicked him. In spite of beating the ant within an inch of his life and mutilating him, Hopper's desire for revenge was still not sated. He wouldn't be satisfied until he killed Flik with his own hands. Hopper wrapped his hand around the ant's throat and lifted him up by his neck; he wanted to watch his adversary take his last breath, knowing he'd squeezed it out of the ant's mangled body himself.

"I'll make sure you don't get in my way again." Hopper said, sadistic pleasure and fury dripping off his tongue all at once. His other hand clenched Flik's throat and Hopper began to strangle him, savoring the sight of the ant gasping for air. Hopper was _almost_ disappointed – his victory would seem a bit less gratifying if Flik just let Hopper kill him. Little did Hopper know that while he was so engulfed in torturing his enemy, he failed to notice a much larger threat flying right toward him.

Hopper's only warning to the imminent danger was a loud tweet right behind him. He didn't even have time to turn around and see the bird before it plucked him off the ground. Taken by surprise, Hopper dropped Flik unceremoniously before being eaten alive by the ravenous feathered menace. Flik couldn't move at all, but his incapacity worked in his favor; by not moving, he didn't attract the bird's attention and, therefore, didn't join Hopper in his fate. Still, at that point, Flik wished the bird would have taken him as well and finished what Hopper had started. He laid prone on the cold ground, wet, bleeding, and in pain that he couldn't even _begin_ to describe. Meanwhile, the princess was out scouting for him... too little, too late.

* * *

 _ ***** Ants do not have "blood" in a typical sense. They have clear circulatory fluid._

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Like I said, this chapter got kind of violent. I did my best to try and ensure nothing in the story sounded too redundant - after all, there are only so many synonyms for "painful." As always, I welcome constructive criticism because I'm no master author, and if anyone has suggestions or spots mistakes/inconsistencies that I did not, please let me know in the comments. Stay tuned for chapter 3!  
_


	3. Chapter 3: One Last Favor

_Wow, I didn't think this story would get so many views and reviews so soon! I wasn't even sure people still looked in this section of the site anymore. I'm glad folks are enjoying it so far. :) Thank you to everyone who has taken time to read and also to those who took an extra moment to review._

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 3: One Last Favor**_

* * *

 _"Flik! Flik!"_

It seemed like Princess Atta had circled the island dozens of times and still hadn't seen or heard Flik. She was beginning to think that Hopper had abducted him and left Ant Island entirely. Meanwhile, the rain had finally started to let up and visibility improved enough to give the princess a clearer view of the terrain. Just as she was about to do another lap around the island, Atta made out a small blue speck lying on the ground below her. She just knew it was Flik and quickly flew down to him. But between the darkness, the weather and how far she was off the ground, the princess had no idea what the true extent of Flik's injuries were until she saw him up close.

"I'm so glad I found you, Flik! Are you-" Atta ran to where Flik was lying and she stopped dead in her tracks. She gaped at the appalling scene before her and her breath caught in her throat: there was Flik in a heap on the ground, surrounded by his severed limbs. Time felt as though it had stopped entirely while Atta tried to process what had happened – the whole scene looked and felt like a nightmare. She questioned whether what she was seeing was even real; could something that gruesome really happen to someone she knew? Slowly, she closed the distance between the two of them; much to her dismay, saw that everything had, in fact, actually occurred. The lavender ant cried and dropped to her knees; Flik lay battered and bruised beyond belief, limbless, motionless and in a pool of his own blood. Atta instantly feared the worst until she heard a faint wheeze emerge from the pulverized body.

* * *

 **" _Flik!_ "** Atta cried. The blue ant's antennae perked up ever so slightly at the sound of the princess' voice. Flik managed to open his swollen eyes enough to look at Atta.

"... Princess?" Flik's voice was weak and barely audible. In spite of what he'd been through and how he felt, he found the strength to smile just a little when he saw Atta beside him. Her presence brought him some comfort, if only a tiny bit.

"Oh, Flik. I... I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner. I just... oh, _Flik._.." her voiced cracked as she looked over his mutilated body. She was certainly no stranger to the sight of her fellow ants being eaten by birds, but it was usually a quick, clean death. The physical devastation Hopper had wrought upon just one ant was like nothing she'd ever seen before. She couldn't even hold his hand to comfort him, and she was utterly shocked that Flik even survived Hopper's attack, judging by the injuries he sustained. Atta rested her hand softly on the side of Flik's face and did her best to maintain something resembling composure to avoid causing him further distress.

"Come on, Flik. I'll take you back to the colony." Atta wiped the tears from her eyes. "Dr. Flora will fix you. It's... it's going to be okay." She tried her best to sound convincing; Atta wanted to assure herself as much as Flik that it wouldn't end this way, but deep down, they both knew he was living on borrowed time. He'd been savagely assaulted, dismembered, was bleeding out and was still in shock. It was only a matter of time before any one of Flik's injuries finally shut his body down.

Flik coughed in pain. "Atta, I... I need you to do... one last favor... for me."

"Yes, yes. _Anything_." The princess looked into his eyes – the very life was draining from them and she struggled to retain her self-control with every pained breath Flik took. Atta was a realistic insect and knew her friend didn't have long, but she didn't want to believe that he wouldn't make it after they'd finally beaten the grasshoppers back.

Flik's breath was shallow and labored. "I... want you... to kill me."

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** I hope I didn't make Flik too out of character, though it's hard to say what his character would be like in this kind of situation, so I had to wing it. Stay tuned for the final chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4: My Fate in Your Hands

_Thank you all again for your readership and encouraging comments! :) This chapter is longer than the previous ones, adding up to just under 1400 words (including the footnote, but not my author notes). I just couldn't find a good spot in it for a chapter break, so I decided to keep it as one big finale. Enjoy!  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 4: My Fate in Your Hands**_

* * *

 _"I... want you... to kill me."_

Atta gasped loudly. " _ **WHAT?!**_ Flik, _no!_ Please, no! _I can't!_ You'll be okay! Just... just let me take you back to the colony. I'll get you help! Please, just hang on for me!"

Flik winced and squeezed his eyes shut; the pain was worsening very quickly. "I can't... I can't... live like this, Atta."

The princess rested her hand on Flik's chest and tried to reassure him. "The pain will go away in time, and... and I'll take care of you afterward. I promise. Just be strong for a little longer, Flik. Please, just a _little longer_." The erratic rise and fall of Flik's chest disturbed Atta, as did the two wounds on either side of it where his arms had been.

"I can't... handle the pain. It's.. too much for me. And, if I live... what good... will I be... without arms or legs?" Atta was losing the ability to put up a convincing facade, especially after what Flik had asked of her. The injured ant used the last of his strength to say what he had to say. "I can't work... I can't walk... I can't invent. I won't... have a life... and... I refuse to be a... bigger burden to... the colony... or to... you."

* * *

Ultimately, it dawned on the princess that Flik was right. While she would be happy to take care of him in his crippled state, Flik still wouldn't be able to do the things he loved anymore. As much of a nuisance as he was, he still strived to create new things to try and make life easier for his fellow ants. He truly lived for his people, but in the shape Hopper had left him, he'd never be able to do that again. He wouldn't be able to play with Dot anymore or help with the annual harvest. He wouldn't be able to do _anything_ on his own ever again, which is one of the worst fates an independent soul like his could be damned to. There's no telling how long it would take him to finally stop hurting physically from the loss of his limbs, and that's _if_ the pain ever went away. For all Atta knew, Flik could be in tremendous pain for the rest of his life with no relief, not to mention the mental torment of being completely helpless. Her heart was heavier than it had ever been as she tried to think about whether or not she could bring herself to fulfill Flik's last wish.

"Please, Atta... I can't take it. I can't... take this pain... or the... empty future I have... " Flik whispered, desperate tears spilling down his face. Atta didn't want Flik to die, nor did she want to kill him, but she knew how cruel it would be to force him to stay alive in his condition, even if he _could_ be helped. She knew what had to be done. The princess briefly left Flik's side to look for something to help her carry out his request, and after picking through some nearby grass, she found a sharp wooden splinter. With enough force, she could break his exoskeleton with it. Atta walked back to Flik with the splinter in hand, each step feeling heavier than the last. She knelt beside him and stroked his face for a moment before looking down at the tool she brought with her. Grasped between two shaking hands, Atta hesitantly began to lift the splinter over the crushed body. She tried her best to dissociate herself mentally from the situation - Atta thought that, if she could just become emotionally detached for a moment, she could be strong for Flik when he couldn't be for himself. Alas, all it took was a quick glance at the face of her fading companion to break her concentration and her spirit. Atta's arms fell to her sides and she started to cry; even in his battered state, it hurt her more to think about taking his life than it did seeing him the way he was.

* * *

" _I can't do this!_ _**I can't!**_ There _has_ to be another way! Please, _anything_ but this!" Atta sobbed into her hands, dropping the splinter. Flik's breathing was becoming more labored. "I'm begging you... Atta... _please_ , don't let me... suffer any longer..."

His fate rested in the princess' hands, but she still didn't want to believe that this was the only solution. Atta knew what a resilient and spirited ant Flik was; he was never, ever one to give up without a fight and if he got knocked down, he'd get right back up and try again, repeatedly. He'd always been that way, which was what made him as much an extraordinary inventor and he was an extraordinary bother – he simply didn't know when to quit. The more Atta thought about all of this, the more she realized that if Flik was giving up, it meant he was truly at the end of his rope. He had _nothing_ left to give. Flik didn't say anything more – he didn't need to. The hopeless expression on his face implored her to put an end to his pain. Atta felt an ache like no other surge through her heart when she finally understood that doing what Flik asked of her was the greatest gift she could give him, as much as it hurt her to think about it. Yielding to reality, she picked up the splinter again and held it above Flik's body, weeping as she tried to muster the nerve to put the brave ant out of his misery.

"I'm so sorry, Flik..." and with that tearful apology, she plunged the splinter as hard as she could into Flik's chest. His exoskeleton broke open with a horrifying crack and the shard severed the dying ant's heart *****. Flik's screaming was almost as agonizing for him to feel as it was for Atta to hear, and he suddenly felt cold all over from the cool night air blowing against his exposed insides. Atta's sorrowful cries pierced the fog-heavy sky and could be heard all across the island. She slowly pulled the splinter out and then rested her hand over the wound, not wanting to believe what she'd done. Although she was just following through with Flik's wishes, Atta was racked with guilt knowing she'd hurt him further when he was already suffering so much.

* * *

Atta lifted Flik up and cradled him in her arms. " _I'm sorry!_ I'm so sorry, Flik! _I'm sorryyyyy..._ " her voice trailed off into unintelligible bawling.

"Don't be. I'm glad that... the last thing... I... I got to see... is you..." Flik said between shallow breaths.

The mourning princess looked into Flik's eyes one more time. The spark that was always so prevalent in them was quickly fading into darkness. Flik managed a single weak smile as blood started to drip from his mouth. "I... I love you, Atta." The princess gasped. Flik continued, "I'm sorry... I didn't... tell you... sooner."

"Flik..." The confession left Atta speechless and even more heartbroken.

"You've done... so much for me... Princess." Flik's eyelids began to droop until his eyes were just slivers of white. "Thank... you..." The blue ant took one final breath before he fully closed his eyes for the last time. Flik passed away in Atta's arms; his suffering had finally come to an end. The princess pressed her head against his as she wept, rocking back and forth with his body held close. She stroked Flik's face, still wanting to comfort him in death. "I love you," Atta whispered before lightly kissing him on the forehead.

She held the lifeless body to her chest, crying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," over and over again with each reiteration punctuated by sobs. Atta felt like if she apologized enough times, Flik would hear her, wherever he was. She wasn't only mourning the end of Flik's life, though – she grieved over the fact that she never gave him a chance before this and that he'd had feelings for her that she never got the opportunity to try and reciprocate. Atta would never forgive herself for this.

Perhaps if, for _once_ , the rest of the colony would have gone against the grain and followed Flik's example, he could have lived to see the success of his efforts and his people finally being liberated from the grasshoppers.

* * *

 _ ***** Ants do not have hearts, per se. They have something called a dorsal vessel, which isn't quite the same as a heart, but it functions in a similar manner; it's more of a muscle than an organ. It pumps clear "blood" throughout the ant's whole body, which is why it gets severed in this story instead of pierced._

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** I felt a little silly writing this because it was so tragic and dramatic, and it was about bugs. It was weird making it feel so significant when all of us accidentally step on ants all the time. And who would have thought that a splinter could be such a deadly weapon? I wanted to write something a little more depressing as an alternate way to end the film: if Hopper hadn't won, but still got revenge. It was a bit difficult to write because Flik is my favorite character in the film, but killing the character you love often means that narrating their death will be that much more profound. You can't very well write a good death scene for a character you don't give a crap about! Thank you so much to the folks who took the time to give this story a chance. I don't usually write tragedy-type stuff, so it was a literary muscle that got some much-needed flexing. :)_

 _Also, since some readers expressed interest in continuation of the story, I took a stab at it and wound up with a few more chapters. It's not over yet!  
_


	5. Chapter 5: Breaking Another Heart

_Welp, I thought I was done with this, but folks seemed really keen on an epilogue, so I gave it a shot. :) It turned out a **lot** longer than I intended, so I wound up with more than one additional chapter (seriously, I think the "final" chapter was over 2,800 words, so I had to break it up into several chapters to make it more readable). YAY! Stay tuned for a couple more after this one!_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 5: Breaking Another Heart  
**_

* * *

Atta still couldn't believe Flik was gone, even though she couldn't help but recollect the sight of him taking his final breath in her arms. At first, things had gone so wrong with Flik's plans, but right when everything started to change in the colony's favor, _this_ had to happen. In numbers, the ants held unbelievable power that took them far too many years of abuse to finally realize, but one ant singled out the way Hopper had done with Flik was a death sentence. The outcome would have been the same, regardless of which ant he'd taken.

Why couldn't Hopper have gone after Atta instead? She could _fly_ , at least. And, as a royal ant, any harm brought upon her would've had a much more profound effect on the other ants compared to killing a "mere" worker. It's probably why Hopper had originally targeted the queen. But when his scheme came crashing down around him, he went for more vulnerable, available prey because he wanted _someone_ to pay _right then_. This reminded Atta that she also never got the chance to thank Flik for saving her mother; Flik revealing Hopper's secret assassination plans helped drive the colony to fight back. It was quite clear in the wake of his wrath that Hopper wasn't intending to fight fair when he seized Flik and flew off – he was intending to make the blue ant suffer as much as possible. Atta didn't know if Hopper was aiming to _kill_ Flik when he attacked and still wondered where the ruthless grasshopper was, or if he was even still on the island.

"Why couldn't I have gotten here sooner? Maybe I couldn't have _stopped_ Hopper, but I could've distracted him. Why wasn't I just a _little_ faster? I could have saved Flik!" Atta was beating herself up mentally over the whole situation, blaming herself for arriving just a couple moments too late.

Part of Atta wanted to hope this had all been a horrible nightmare and that she'd wake up soon, or that Flik would open his eyes and tell her that he was fine. Still, she knew better; she had to come to terms. The ant that inspired his people to take control of their lives had paid the ultimate price for their freedom while not living to see his own. Atta was still thinking about what Flik had confessed to her in his final moments when she heard a small voice and the buzz of tiny wings approaching.

* * *

" _Atta! Flik!_ Where are you?"

It was Dot. Atta began to panic; she knew how fond her sister was of Flik and she didn't want to traumatize Dot with the sight of her dearest friend's crushed and mangled remains. The elder princess darted off into the weeds to find a leaf with which to cover Flik's body. Atta didn't want Dot to see what had passed before she had a chance to talk to her. Princess Atta wanted to shield her kid sister from the butchery that she had the misfortune of witnessing herself, but she knew she couldn't hide him for very long, especially from her puckish sibling. How could she _possibly_ tell Dot what had happened? The princess promptly covered Flik's body and followed her sister's voice, hoping that she could catch Dot before the tiny purple ant discovered the grisly scene herself.

"Dot?" Atta called out. It was difficult for her to see in the dark, but she could soon make out a little fleck of purple approaching her from the sky.

Dot asked in a chirpy voice, "Atta! Atta, did you find Flik? Where is he? Where's Flik?" The little princess seemed to think Flik was somehow invincible and that there was nothing he couldn't overcome. Like many children, Dot naively believed that nothing would betide her hero because he was _her_ hero – that nothing bad would ever happen to someone she loved. Alas, the older princess had to be the one to betray Dot's high hopes. Atta had to reveal that the blue ant her sister admired so much had met his match and lost.

Atta reached out and hugged her little sister in midair without saying a word. Dot was a little perplexed by this gesture since Atta was never usually all that affectionate toward, well, _anyone_. "Ummm... you okay, sis? You, like, never hug me." Atta brought her down to the ground.

"Dot, I..." Atta was already losing her poise trying to think of how she could break the news. "I... something bad has... Hopper has done something... _terrible_..." Atta's eyes began to tear up, but she tried her hardest to hide it. She hadn't come to terms with Flik's fate herself, yet she had to be the one to tell her sister about it and see her tiny sibling's soul shatter alongside her own.

"Is... is Flik okay?" Dot's eyes got wide, wondering what could have possibly befallen her friend.

Atta swallowed hard. "Dot, I don't know... how to tell you this. But, Flik..." her voice was cracking, "... Flik is dead."

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** The remainder of this story is going to mostly be taking place right where Chapter 4 left off with the epilogue set a few months after the events in the preceding chapters took place. Thanks so much for everybody's reviews and readership! Your kind words inspired me to continue this story a little longer, but I don't want to drag it out (in some places, I kinda feel like I already did), so the epilogue is going to be the for-real ending. But we aren't there quite yet - hope everybody enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the upcoming ones! I'm also hoping I didn't make Dot too out of character since I don't usually write child characters._


	6. Chapter 6: Face To Face with Death

_Whoohoo! Chapter 6!  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
 _Chapter 6: Face To Face with Death_ **

* * *

_"Dot, I don't know... how to tell you this. But, Flik..." her voice was cracking, "... Flik is dead."_

The tiny purple ant stared at her older sister in disbelief; that statement didn't make sense to Dot at first. Flik _couldn't_ be dead. But the grave look on Atta's face told the little princess that her sister wasn't lying. Dot broke down into cascades of tears, her little hands covering her mouth, but doing little to muffle her doleful cries. "What? _N-No!_ _ **NO!**_ _Not Flik!_ " Dot collapsed in her sister's arms, sobbing and screaming uncontrollably. Atta did her best to comfort her sibling, but seeing her baby sister in such anguish just ripped the fresh wound open even further. The innocent little ant was so green and so sheltered from the harsh truths of the world, and her first taste of reality had to be by way of one of the worst possible losses. Dot cried and cried until she couldn't breathe. "Wh... What hap-happened?" she asked between heaving sobs.

"Hopper... brought Flik out here and... hurt him very badly." Atta couldn't bring herself to admit to Dot that she had struck the final blow herself.

Dot sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Can...can I... s-see him? Wh-where is he?"

"Oh, Dot, I... I don't know if you should see him. He's... he's in really bad shape. I don't want it to scare you."

This upset Dot further. "Don't treat me like a little kid! _I want to see him!_ " Dot struggled and shrieked with all her might to escape her sister's grip, but Atta never loosened her hold. " _Let me go!_ _ **LET ME GO!**_ " Atta tried to reason with her. "Dot, _stop!_ I'm not trying to keep you from him to – " Dot was having none of her sister's reasoning and fought even harder. "I want to see Flik! _Let me see him!_ "

* * *

Dot fussed and flailed in Atta's arms for a while, but shortly lost steam and melted back into tears. Atta got kicked and punched a few times in her effort to restrain her hysterical sibling, but refused to release Dot until she had calmed down. Once the smaller ant wore herself out thrashing, Atta set her back on the ground and knelt down to look her in the eye. She knew that the only way she was going to get through to her little sister was to _not_ talk down to her. Sure, Dot was just a child, but she didn't listen when she was spoken to in a patronizing manner. Given the gravity of the situation, Atta felt that she had no choice but to talk to her sister like an adult.

"Listen to me, Dot. I promise you that I'm not trying to keep you from Flik to be mean or because you're little. He was injured very severely and I don't want you to be hurt seeing him the way he is. I wish _I_ didn't have to see him the way he is now because I'm never going to get that image out of my head. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The smaller ant nodded. She spotted one of Flik's antennae poking out from behind the broad leaf Atta has placed over him. "That's him over there, isn't it?" Dot asked while pointing to the leaf. Atta sighed. "Yes." Dot's cheeks were soaked with tears. "C-Can I please see him? _Please?_ I just wanna see him one more time, even if he looks bad."

* * *

Atta questioned her own judgment. Would it be right to let Dot see Flik's body, especially when it was so mutilated? On one hand, she didn't want to try and shield Dot from the inevitability of death, but on the other hand, was Dot too immature to handle something so gruesome? Atta weighed her options and made a final decision; her sister may have still been a child, but she couldn't be protected forever from the harsh actuality of life, including the more tragic and preventable parts such as the one they were facing. While Atta certainly never wanted to have to bring her sister face to face with death, she knew Dot would be just as hurt _not_ getting a chance to say goodbye to Flik as she would seeing his body, if not more so.

"Okay, Dot. You can see him," Atta conceded. Slowly, the two princesses walked together to where the leaf was resting with Dot holding her sister's hand the whole time. Atta slowly pulled the leaf back, just enough to see Flik's antennae drooping lifelessly in the air. "Dot, before I go further, you need to know...," she took a deep breath, "... that Flik's arms and legs are gone. I know it's going to be shocking, but I want you to know what to expect when I lift this leaf. Do you still want to see him?"

Dot rubbed her eyes and hesitated to answer for a moment. "Uh-huh." Atta pulled the leaf off enough to uncover the top half of Flik's body, or at least what was left of it.

Dot gasped and immediately turned away. Atta also averted her eyes; she knew what horror lay under that leaf, but it still pained her to have to see Flik like that again. Dot cried as she turned back around to look at her fallen companion. The little princess reached down to touch Flik's face, looking up at her sister for approval first. Atta nodded and knelt down on the other side of the deceased ant's body. Tears fell heavy as rocks as Dot looked over his pulverized body, trying to find a single spot _not_ covered in bruises or blood. It was so difficult for her to see an ant she cared for so much in such a terrible state – no insect should have to be witness to such violence, no matter their age. Whether or not she wanted to, Dot grew up a little bit that day.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Keep an eye out for the last two chapters, which I'll probably post together since the last one is pretty short. :)  
_


	7. Chapter 7: Emptiness

_There will probably be a delay with the last couple chapters. I admit I wasn't intending to work the circus bugs into the story, but since some folks are asking about them, I'mma see what I can do for you guys. I'm going to try to finagle another chapter with them in it without having it sound too contrived. Warnings and apologies in advance for what will most likely be a noticeable delay on the final chapters, but here's what was previously the second to last chapter in this story. :)  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
 _Chapter 7: Emptiness  
_**

* * *

"I... I love you, F-Flik..." Dot said in a broken voice and hugged the late blue ant. The young princess couldn't get over how far away Flik seemed when he was right there in her arms. Dot didn't want to let him go, nor could she accept that she'd never see him, talk to him or play with him ever again. The more Dot thought about this new-found emptiness in her life, the harder she cried. There was nothing either princess wouldn't give just to hear Flik's voice one more time. Atta knew how painful this had to be for her sister. In fact, she ventured a guess that it may have been _more_ painful for Dot. Her little sister had adored Flik since the day she met him; he was her idol and, unlike most of the other ants, he never once gave her a hard time about being young and small. Though for different reasons, both Flik and Dot felt like outcasts in their own colony, and in spite of their age differences, they could still relate to one another. Dot was the only one who ever really believed in Flik and his inventions, and if _anyone_ could make the little princess smile, it was Flik. Dot already felt terribly lost after learning that her guiding light had tragically been snuffed out.

Dot nestled her face against Flik's, wishing she could've told him how much he meant to her when he was still alive to hear it. Surely Flik knew that Dot cared about him, but she seemed to feel guilty that she took him for granted at any point, even if she couldn't quite put that remorse into words.

* * *

"I... I don't want you to go, Flik! Please, _don't go!_ " Dot held his body tighter. Atta put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Dot, I'm so sorry, but... he's _gone_. I... I watched him die." The older princess felt her eyes start watering again; the vision of that awful moment was burned into her memory forever, and the burning was only augmented by the knowledge that she had killed him, even if it _was_ what he wanted. Atta was grateful that Dot hadn't asked where his chest wound had come from – it appeared that she'd assumed Hopper did it. This was fine with Atta because she didn't want to have to explain to her mourning sibling that she took Flik's life. Dot was a clever little ant, but she still didn't have a strong grasp of adult problems. All Atta knew was that Dot would never forgive her if she was completely honest with her sister.

Dot got up and joined Atta at her side to hug her. "I... I miss him already."

"I do too," Atta began crying again. She tried so hard not to break down; she wanted to try and be strong for her sister, but it was just too much to handle, and the two sisters cried together in one another's arms. Atta stroked the side of Flik's face one more time before covering him back up with the leaf. She lifted Dot up and held her close. "We need to tell the others what happened. Come on." Tasked with delivering the heartbreaking news of their loss to the rest of the colony, Atta and Dot flew back toward the anthill. Dot could only stare over Atta's shoulder at the fiery orange leaf that marked the spot where Flik had died. The tiny ant couldn't stop herself from crying as the image of the leaf grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight completely. Painful as the sight of Flik's mauled body was to both princesses, neither one wanted to leave his side.

* * *

Atta and Dot reached the main part of the anthill – the wide, open space near their island tree. Things had calmed down by then; the grasshoppers had all fled and the royal council was tending to those who had sustained injuries in the scuffle earlier. The two sisters landed and walked over to where everyone had gathered, each step harder to take than the last from hearts, souls and bodies overwhelmed by sorrow. Dr. Flora was the first one to notice the princesses' presence.

" _Princess Atta!_ And _Dot!_ Oh, thank goodness you're both safe!" Safe as they may have been, the crestfallen expressions on their faces said otherwise. The queen became concerned immediately. "Atta? Atta, dear, what's the matter? Are you okay?" The circus bugs and some of the ants began to crowd around the royal family, wondering what was wrong. "What is it, Princess?" Rosie asked.

Atta tried to summon the resolve to tell them about Flik. "I... I don't know how to tell you all this, but..."

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** You know the way that sentence is going to end. To be continued! We're not out of the woods yet, folks!  
_


	8. Chapter 8: Coming Home

_Ask and you shall receive! Phew, I intended to post like one additional chapter to cover how the circus bugs were feeling about Flik. I got more into it than I expected to and the end result got **really** long-winded. I wound up with FOUR additional chapters. :) I should know by now that being concise is not one of my strengths. So as it stands, there are five more chapters ___to this story_ (including this one and the epilogue) all because of my sordid love affair with words. I absolutely encourage criticism because I worry some of these last few chapters sound too forced._

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 8: Coming Home  
**_

* * *

"Flik is... dead."

A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Onlookers and listeners cupped their mouths in shock and started talking amongst themselves. Gypsy fell into her husband's arms and cried out, _"NO!"_ , her voice flooded with penetrating anguish. Heimlich's eyes got wide and brimmed with tears. " _Nein!_ Not Flik!" Dot cried into Atta's shoulder, never having been set down by her older sister since they left the site where Flik's body lay. She hated being reminded of her beloved friend's death yet again.

"What happened?!" Slim asked.

"Hopper... he..." Atta struggled to finish that sentence. Although the reality of Flik's demise had slowly been sinking in, it clawed at the princess' already-crushed heart having to go into detail about it once more. The hesitation in the princess' voice was enough to give everyone an idea of what had occurred. Tears rolled down Atta's face, tracing the paths prior ones had forged. "By the time I found him, it was too late." She was careful not to mention the part she'd played in Flik's death. Atta couldn't tell them the full truth just yet, especially not with little Dot right there. Rosie asked, "Where is he now?"

"I can show you. Follow me." Either perched atop Dim or being carried by their winged mates, the circus bugs followed Atta as she led them to the clearing where she'd left Flik. The princess hoped that the wind hadn't blown him away or a bird hadn't eaten him, although a small part of her also sort of hoped that he _had_ been blown away or eaten, just so the other bugs wouldn't have to see his pulverized remains and so she wouldn't have to see them _again_. She instantly hated herself for even thinking such terrible things, but seeing Flik over and over again wasn't exactly salve on the emotional wound. Atta felt a pang of relief mixed with disappointment when she saw that the leaf covering the blue ant was right where she had left it. When the insects all landed, Atta finally set Dot down and asked that someone stay with her young sibling. The elder princess didn't want her little sister to have to revisit the gruesome sight of her deceased companion.

"I'll stay," Gypsy volunteered. "I don't want to see his body." The rest of the bugs followed Atta toward the spot she'd marked. The princess spoke in a lowered tone, doing her best to spare her sister's feelings.

* * *

"He's under here," Atta said. She grasped the edge of the leaf, her hands shaking – Atta knew nothing she said would prepare the others for the grisly display that awaited them beneath the leaf. "You should all know that... Hopper tore his arms and legs off." A couple of the circus bugs shuddered, and others looked hesitant about whether or not they wanted to see their friend in such a state. "If you don't want to see him like this, now's the time to look away or leave."

None of them moved. They wanted to see their fallen comrade one more time, regardless of the state he was in. The princess sighed and moved the leaf away, revealing the deceased ant. Rosie gasped and turned away in tears. Manny was staggered by just how horrific the damage was and nearly fell backward. Even the normally gabby pill bugs were shocked into silence. Slim stood with his hand over his mouth – as disturbing and gory as the scene was before him, he just couldn't pull his eyes away from the mutilated insect.

"How could Hopper do such a thing? I... I knew he was brutal, but this... this is horrible, even for _him_." Slim also felt a twinge of fright rush through him. The slender bug couldn't believe that any of them stood up and fought against someone capable of such barbarous violence.

Francis cried as much in sorrow as he did in anger. "Hopper brought him out here to do this to him without any of us interfering." The ladybug's fists clenched and shook at his sides as he fought to keep his composure. Heimlich was wailing unintelligibly and holding his stomach, feeling ill from beholding the awful spectacle.

"I need help carrying him back to the anthill so we can... bury him." It hurt Atta so much to have to use the word "bury" in regard to Flik, but he didn't deserve to be left out in the middle of nowhere to rot. He had a right to a proper farewell. Rosie agreed to help move Flik, and she and Slim gently lifted him onto the leaf that had formerly shrouded him. The weeping spider did her best to not lose her repose and drop Flik, but seeing him with his limbs torn off along with his multitude of other injuries was just too much. She scarcely managed to set Flik down before she collapsed beside him in tears. Gypsy glanced over at her friends and, regrettably, got a glimpse of Flik's limbless corpse. She flinched away, gasping and crying. Dot climbed into the moth's lap and hugged her - the little princess wished none of them had to see Flik in such a dreadful condition. Meanwhile, Francis picked up another smaller leaf to cover Flik. It wasn't so much that any of them wanted to deny the ant's fate – they just didn't want to have proof of it staring back at them the whole time. With Francis holding one end of the leaf and Atta holding the other, the insects flew Flik back to the anthill.

* * *

Once they'd landed, Atta asked Slim to hold her end of the leaf while she went to speak to her mother and the royal council. "We brought Flik back here for burial. Dr. Flora and Mr. Soil, would you be willing to help with the preparations?"

Mr. Soil nodded. "Of course, your highness. Please, let us handle it. You've been through enough." Atta put her hand on his shoulder. "Listen, I... I know none of you were very fond of Flik, but please... please give him a dignified burial." Mr Soil answered, "I wouldn't dream of doing anything less, Princess. I know he meant much more to you than to me and I'm terribly sorry for your loss." Gypsy spoke up from behind the princess. "He wasn't just Atta's loss, you know. We've _all_ lost someone important tonight, whether or not you think so."

Dr. Flora sensed an argument brewing. She knew most of the royal council loathed Flik, so she stepped in to quell the mounting enmity and avoid causing further distress. "I promise, Princess, we'll take care of him – the _best_ care." Atta looked on as the two royal advisors walked off with the blue ant's body in tow and vanished into the depths of the anthill. The sight of Flik being taken away cut her to the very core. He was gone, there was no way around that, but burial preparations meant having to truly say goodbye _forever_. It was something Atta didn't think she could face yet. Dot had cried herself to sleep in Gypsy's arms on the way home, so Atta put her sister to bed. While waiting for the royal council to complete their undertaking, the older princess and the circus insects sat together in an underground chamber, trying to find the fortitude to accept the tragic events of that night.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** I apologize that Dim, Tuck and Roll won't play very pivotal roles in the story because they can't really contribute much dialogue. Stay tuned for chapter 9!  
_


	9. Chapter 9: Confession

**When It Rains  
 _Chapter 9: Confession_**

* * *

"I... just can't believe he's really gone," Rosie said, her voice cracking. "He did so much for all of us – he started a revolution and gave the whole colony back their freedom, but he never got the chance to enjoy any of it." Slim added, "He was just one ant... but, at the same time, he was so much more than that. He did more than any one ant could ever do." Dim was crying too, and from his nearly-incomprehensible wailing, Rosie managed to figure out that he was so troubled because he thought Flik dying was all his fault. In his somewhat limited intelligence, Dim believed that if he hadn't launched Hopper from the cannon, Flik wouldn't have died.

"No, Dim! None of this was your fault! You falling on the cannon was just an accident. You didn't mean it and you couldn't stop it. You didn't do anything wrong." The spider tried her best to console Dim and reassure him that he wasn't responsible for Flik dying. Tuck and Roll spoke in their native tongue to the massive beetle, and while Dim didn't understand a word of it, he still found comfort in what they were saying. Each pill bug hugged one of Dim's legs since it was the only part of him they could actually embrace with their tiny arms.

Atta was beside herself, not only because of her loss, but knowing what she had done. Flik might still have been alive had it not been for her, and the more she thought about it, the more she regretted her decision to listen to him. Gypsy reached over and held Atta's trembling hands. "I miss him too. I'm so sorry, Princess – I know this must be most difficult for you." Atta wiped the tears from her eyes. "No, you don't understand. I...," she hesitated to tell them at first because she wasn't sure how they'd react. "Hopper didn't kill Flik." Everyone's attention turned to Atta upon hearing this because they'd all assumed up to that point that Hopper _was_ Flik's killer. Her voice tentative, the princess came clean and finished her confession; as Flik's friends, she felt they had a right to know the truth. "... _**I**_ killed him."

Heimlich shook his head. "It vasn't your fault you didn't find him in time." Atta choked on her words. "When I found him... Hopper had only dismembered him. I don't even know where Hopper went to." Never in her life did Atta ever think she'd precede the word "dismembered" with the word "only."

"Wait, he was still _alive_ when you found him?" Slim asked.

* * *

Atta nodded, attempting to keep her self-control from disintegrating before she shared the whole story. "Yes. I wanted to get him back to the anthill. I _begged_ him to let me bring him home so we could help him, but he..." she paused, trying to brace her heart and sanity to tell remainder of her secret, "... he asked me to kill him." The circus bugs gaped at her in horror. "He... he looked right at me and said, _'I want you to kill me.'_ " Every single one of the other insects was stunned, not only over Atta's confession, but that Flik had been in such tremendous pain that he'd even made the request. "I didn't want to do it – I _didn't_. It was the most horrible thing I've ever had to see or do, and if I could have given my own life to let him live, I would have in a second. The look in his eyes... I've never seen such hopelessness and pain in anyone's eyes before." She sniffled and her voice cracked. "He'd... he'd still be alive if I hadn't listened to him." Francis started to ask, "So, that wound in his chest..."

The princess fell forward out of her seat, holding her head in her hands and screaming. "What have I done?! _I killed him!_ After everything he went through, and _**I killed him!**_ " Rosie caught Atta in her arms before she hit the ground and held her. "Please don't think that way, Princess. You did what he asked you to do."

"But he wasn't thinking straight! He was in pain and shock! He could've lived and been okay! _I'm a_ **_murderer!_** " Atta sobbed harder in the spider's arms than she ever had before and she cried herself into hyperventilation. As the gravity of her actions sank in further and further, Flik's passing suddenly became an even more unbearable reality for the princess. Hopper may have done the damage, but Atta was the one who actually finished him off, and once the fog of loss had begun to dissipate, a clearer view of what she'd done revealed itself. This knowledge wounded her in ways too profound for her to bear.

Though still quite taken aback at Atta's actions, Slim tried to console the bereaved princess. "Don't say that. You fulfilled Flik's final wish, and given the shape he was in, I understand why he'd ask you to do that. Had I been in his place, I probably would've asked the same thing." Francis added his own solacing remarks where Slim had left off. "Life's not always just about being _alive_ , Atta – it's about the _quality_ of life. Flik knew he'd have none and he didn't want to live if he couldn't live to the fullest." Gypsy said, "And there's no way you could know if he'd have lived after what Hopper did to him."

* * *

The circus bugs were quite supportive of the princess once they learned the entire truth, which surprised her. Atta looked down at the ground, her vision almost completely clouded by tears and her entire being consumed by guilt. "Just... tell me I did the right thing. Please tell me I didn't murder an innocent ant for no reason."

Manny did his best to ease her feelings of remorse. "What you did for Flik was very selfless, Your Highness. It would've been very easy to ignore his last request and go against his wishes. It would have been easier to bring him here and keep him alive in a totally incapacitated and hopeless state. But the best choices are seldom the easiest to make." Atta looked up at the wise old mantis. "In the short time I knew Flik, I could tell he wasn't an insect that gave up right away, so for him to ask such a significant kindness – especially from someone he was so fond of – meant that he _truly_ couldn't go on. To allow him to live would have been the more cruel choice. You ended his suffering, Atta."

The princess wiped her eyes, not entirely convinced of her innocence, but the flames of regret burned her conscience a little less intensely **.** "Thank you for your reassurance. I just can't help feeling like I've done something terrible. Please, though... please don't tell Dot what I've done. She'd never understand or forgive me." The circus bugs agreed to keep her secret; the younger princess was hurting enough already without this knowledge heaped on top of her grief. Little did any of them realize that Atta's little sister had been standing outside the chamber listening the entire time.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Uh-oh, Dot knows what really happened now. Also, that wasn't a typo in Heimlich's tiny line of dialogue. It's his accent. I did my best to divide up the circus bugs' dialogue as evenly as possible among the ones who speak coherently, so hopefully nobody talks too much more than anybody else. __Stay tuned for chapter 10, folks! And thank you all again for taking time to read and/or leave comments. :)  
_


	10. Chapter 10: Restless

_As of chapter 9, this story has officially exceeded the 10,000 word mark! YAY! :) Also, I posted two chapters at once because I didn't realize I hadn't posted this chapter yet when I finished editing chapter 11, so you guys get both! This chapter is a little short anyway (the next one is really long, so it makes up for it). Sorry to keep you guys waiting so long for an update!  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 10: Restless  
**_

* * *

The queen entered the chamber to update everyone. "Dr. Flora and Mr. Soil are done. Tomorrow isn't going to be easy, so we should all try and get a little sleep. The burial will be at sunrise." All the insects retired to respective temporary rooms, but the queen stopped Atta to talk to her. "Atta, before you go to sleep, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" Atta asked. The queen's voice became quieter, yet firmer. "Did you let Dot see his body?" Atta stammered before responding. "Well... yes." Her mother wasn't very happy with this answer.

"Atta, she's just a _child!_ How could you expose her to something like that? I saw what he looked like in there – that's going to scar her for life! Why would you do that to her?!" The elder princess was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally and she was in no mood for a lecture on whether or not allowing a child to see a corpse was morally sound. "Mother, Flik was her best friend. She'd have been just as traumatized if I _didn't_ let her see him one more time. I mean, I didn't _want_ her to see him, but she found me before I could get back to the colony and she knew he was there with me."

"Couldn't you have said no? She didn't need to see that," the queen asked. Atta sighed. "I know it wasn't really ideal, but it would've still broken her heart if she couldn't see him one more time. I'm not apologizing for it, even if it hurt her. We can't shield her from reality forever, especially since she's going to rule the colony one day."

The queen folded her arms, looking rather stern. Normally, she was a pretty laid back insect about most things, but she was concerned about how seeing her dead friend would affect the tiny princess. "I'm her mother, Atta. Not you. That wasn't an appropriate thing for someone her age to see." Atta was getting irritated by this point and responded with less than subtle agitation. "Well, _I_ don't think Flik dying the way he did was an appropriate thing either. If you had all listened to Flik sooner, maybe he wouldn't have had to die in the first place!" Her voice grew increasingly louder and echoed down the hallway, and it definitely didn't go unheard by some of the other insects. By this time, Dot had long since snuck back into her room, eluding her mother's sight as well as her sister's, but still overhearing the argument between the two of them. Atta was too upset to admit her own hypocrisy; she, along with just about everyone else in the colony, never really cared enough to listen to or believe in Flik's ideas and was never keen on following his example until the very end. The princess didn't give her mother time to react to her outburst before she stormed off.

* * *

The mourning insects did their best to sleep that night, but just about all of them were restless – especially Atta. Losing Flik was hard enough on its own, but she kept thinking back on everything that had happened. The fatal blow had been delivered by her own hand, and she just couldn't get over the feelings of guilt in which she found herself drowning, even after the circus bugs reassured her she'd done the right thing. Flik's death would have been easier to accept – at least in comparison – if Hopper _had_ killed him. The princess kept on trying to remind herself that, as traumatizing as it was for her, it was what Flik wanted, and that he most likely would have died from his injuries if she hadn't. But she couldn't get the images of stabbing him or watching him take his final breath out of her head.

On top of these haunting thoughts, Atta felt like an absolute weakling. She was a _royal ant_ – next in line to rule the colony – yet here she was, crushed by her emotions like a sheltered damsel. If she couldn't handle the loss of a single ant, her fellow insects would never take her seriously when she assumed the throne. Atta spent the rest of the night crying on and off. She could hardly even recall any happy memories of Flik to soothe her heart because she regarded him as an annoyance almost the entire time she knew him.

She did smile just a little when she thought back to when he knocked her over with those grain stalks by accident. It wasn't by any means a pleasant experience for Atta at the time, but she could only imagine how funny it must have looked in retrospect. She also looked back fondly on that little peck on the cheek he gave her. Speaking of that, Atta couldn't stop thinking about Flik's romantic confession, and how he used his last breaths to express his love to her. Atta wanted so much to feel happier about his admission of his feelings since no one had ever been in love with her before. Alas, she couldn't find joy in the memory knowing it was one of the last things Flik said and that she never got the chance to return those feelings.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Sorry for the shortness - it's just the spot in the story where I thought a chapter break would work best. The next one is longer, and then after the next chapter will be the final one. Onward to chapter 11! :)  
_


	11. Chapter 11: Saying Goodbye

_Apologies for the delay with this chapter. The thing with Dot eavesdropping on the other bugs was a very last-minute addition - like I added it in the story editor on the site and had to work this chapter around that little plot device. I hate when I get ideas at the last minute like that sometimes, but what can ya do? Hopefully it flows together smoothly. This chapter got really long too - about 2000 words. But I couldn't find a good place for a chapter break, so it's just kinda here in one big block of text. :)_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
** _ **Chapter 11: Saying Goodbye**_

* * *

When the sun rose a few hours later, everyone gathered around the mighty island tree to put Flik to rest. A grave had been dug right at the base of the tree during the night after burial preparations had been finished.

Atta was troubled by her sister's behavior that day. The night before, Dot wanted nothing more than for Atta to hold her and comfort her, but the day of the burial, Dot wanted nothing to do with her older sibling whatsoever. Any time Atta tried to hold Dot's hand or hold her in general, Dot would yank her own hand away and storm off. The elder princess chalked the little bug's demeanor up to mourning; being so young, Atta figured, perhaps Dot didn't know how to cope with Flik's death once it had really sunk in and she was responding with anger.

In any case, it wasn't making the day any easier to endure. As strange as it might sound, the tragedy that struck the colony sort of brought the two royal siblings together. Dot and Atta never really hit it off and never had much in common beyond their bloodlines, but they comforted one another in the wake of Flik's passing and sort of bonded through that comfort and their mutual grief. They had a shared interest in the loss of their companion, for lack of a better description. So why was Dot being so hostile all of a sudden? Atta wanted to find out what was wrong, or if anything else was adding to Dot's pain. She found Dot sitting alone atop a clover outside the anthill, the same spot where she'd sit for hours waiting for Flik to return from the city. Atta flew up to where Dot was perched to summon her little sister to the funeral, but not before trying to get an answer out of her. Dot was holding the telescope Flik had given her. Not looking through it - just holding it.

* * *

"Dot? It's almost time for the funeral. Can I talk to you for a second before we go?" Atta put her hand on Dot's shoulder. The tiny ant flinched away and turned her back to Atta. The older princess persisted. "Please, Dot? What's wrong? I mean... I know you're upset about Flik. I am too. But why are you so angry today?" She tried to console Dot yet again and was met with aloofness and silence. Atta got up and hovered in front of Dot, trying to at least look in her sister's eyes. "Did something else happen? I'm worried about you. Can you talk to me? Please?"

Dot never once looked up at Atta. "Why? So you can 'help' me like you 'helped' Flik?" Atta was confused. "I don't understand. What do you mean?" Dot got up and glared at her sister, her tiny fists clenched at her sides and rage burning in her eyes. The clover leaves shook beneath Dot's feet, threatening to fall out from under her. "I heard you guys last night! I heard what you said! **_You killed Flik!_** _You're why we're having a funeral for him!_ " Dot was screaming at Atta at this point. Tears streamed down the little princess' cheeks before she flew off into the grass. In spite of her wings only just barely developing enough to support flight, the little ant bolted off before Atta could even catch up to her.

Atta's heart sank. She didn't know Dot had been eavesdropping on the conversation the night before. Atta fell from the air, collapsing to her knees on the ground. This was a secret she never wanted Dot to find out, but if she _had_ to know, then Atta never would have wanted her to hear about it in the way she did. She couldn't imagine how much her younger sibling had to be hurting on top of her existing grief. " _Dot!_ Dot, come back! Please, let me explain!" It was no use. Dot could be absolutely anywhere on the island, including any of the hiding spots she and the Blueberries had scattered about the terrain. Atta stared off into the fog, hoping that her sibling would come back. She was startled out of her daze by Mr. Soil. "Your Highness, the funeral is about to start. I assumed you wouldn't want to miss it. Are you alright?" She nodded. "Yes, just... composing myself, I guess. Thank you for letting me know about the time. We should get back."

* * *

The entire colony had collected around the open grave when Atta and Mr. Soil joined them. Not long after the elder princess arrived, the crowd began parting to make way for Slim, Francis and Manny; the circus bugs served as pallbearers, carrying Flik to his final resting place. The royal council had kept their word and prepared the body respectfully. Flik was wrapped in strips of autumn leaves and laid out on a larger leaf, each corner being held up by one of the circus bugs. Once they reached the grave, they set the funereal leaf down so Rosie could take over. She spun three strands of web, attached one to each side of the leaf and slowly, tearfully, lowered it into the ground. Once the spider felt the web strands go slack, she gave her end a tug to break the main strand and, from there, she tied it into a bow. The strand of web was so light that, when Rosie dropped it into the grave, it merely wafted down into the earth until it came to rest atop the deceased ant.

Try as she might, the strong facade Atta was trying to uphold was betrayed by the tears flooding her eyes. Never would Atta have thought that putting a fellow ant back into his natural habitat would be such a heartrending thing to bear witness to. Thinking about Dot and knowing that she caused her sister's deepened heartbreak was making everything feel so much worse. Atta looked up at the rest of the ants and noticed that most of them looked, at best, disappointed. Some even looked _bored_. The princess started to silently fume; she wanted to give these indifferent bugs a piece of her mind for implying that her loss – _their_ loss – was an inconvenience or a waste of time, but she thought better of it and restrained herself. It wasn't the time or the place to make a scene.

* * *

The queen stood beside the grave and spoke up first. "Would anyone like to say a few words?"

Manny stepped up to say something. "We only had a short time to get to know Flik, but even before we knew that our presence here had been the result of a terrible misunderstanding, I could tell he was a courageous insect. He left the security of his colony to find help in an attempt to free his people from tyranny. He stood by his plan to achieve freedom for his people to the point of being exiled. He saved his queen from assassination. He stood up to a dangerous enemy and later paid for it with his life. He also gave us all the mettle to fight back – not only the ants, but us as well. We have never in our lives been warriors, but seeing his acts of selflessness and bravery inspired a fighting spirit in all of us."

Rosie was next. "I know things didn't turn out exactly as planned, and we were all pretty doubtful about pretending to be warriors when we finally found out what was going on. But I'm so glad Flik misunderstood who we were and brought us here. Not only to help defend the colony, but because we got to meet all of you and help you."

The Blueberries stood up. "Flik was... he was really cool. He made a lot of really cool things for everyone and we're sorry we weren't nicer to him, and, umm..." the young ant's respects were interrupted by Dot. The tiny princess had returned from her hiding place to pay respects of her own; it was obvious she'd been crying. She looked down into the grave and tried her best to speak between sobs. "He was... the best and... and bravest bug I ever m-met, and he was m-my best friend...and...and... " Dot cut herself off mid-sentence and ran to her mother, wailing. The queen picked her younger daughter up and held her, doing her best to console the grieving young princess. Dot's tearful tribute even tugged the heart strings of some of the more nonchalant ants in attendance.

* * *

Everyone was silent for a while. Almost no one in the whole colony really liked Flik, so what could they possibly say about him that would be true? Atta finally got up to say something on the blue ant's behalf while she had the chance. "Flik saved us _all_ – not just this year, but _every_ year from now on. And he lost his life because of it. I know he was never regarded as anything more than an irritation by most of us... including me..." she paused for a moment and looked down at the ground; she hated the fact that she never gave Flik the time of day, "...but I never really appreciated the lengths to which he was willing to go for a colony that hated him. His dedication to his people was unlike any I'd ever seen before, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it." Some of the ants looked at one another and a few began to grasp just how much they had undervalued Flik was when he was alive.

Atta continued. "I know some of you feel this entire funeral is a waste of time because, at best, Flik meant _nothing_ to you... or, at worst, he bothered you, inconvenienced you or got in your way at least once or twice. But I'm going to say right now that, regardless of how you feel about Flik or any of his past faults, I expect you to be respectful of the ant who died for your freedom. Had he not stepped up to fight when the rest of us were being cowards, we'd still be living in fear under Hopper, feeding him and his ungrateful gang for the rest of our lives." Atta delivered a powerful speech, no longer caring enough to hold back her tears. But in spite of the tears soaking her face, she remained strong and never lost her poise once. She wasn't about to let her fellow ants get away with dishonoring the insect she loved.

* * *

No one else contributed any further thoughts. Whether it was because there was nothing more to say or because no one could top Atta's eulogy is uncertain. She took one final look into the open grave and could still make out Flik's features even beneath the protective cover of the leaves. It was time to say goodbye, and the circus insects began filling in the grave with soil. Atta helped them, and Dot followed soon after – even most of the other ants helped, each one adding just a handful of soil, proving their very nature by working together to accomplish their goal. Perhaps they hadn't shown Flik much appreciation when he was alive, but they wanted to try and make up for it a little after he'd died, especially after their future sovereign's inspiring address.

The last handful of soil was placed on the grave by Princess Atta. Her fellow insects had reserved it for her so she could symbolically have the final farewell. At no point was any of this ordeal easy, but it was all finally over. The colony's valiant savior was at peace.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Geez, I feel silly writing a bug funeral scene - that's not something I can say I'll be writing about too often, that's for sure. Stay tuned for the epilogue (apologies, the epilogue is very short, but it'll still hopefully bring the story to a close)! :)  
_


	12. Chapter 12: Epilogue

_Here's the final chapter! It's a little on the short side, but I think a short, sweet ending would be best given how long-winded the rest of the story was. Hope you enjoy! :)  
_

* * *

 **When It Rains  
 _Chapter 12: Epilogue_**

* * *

A monument was built at Flik's grave in honor of his brave efforts to rid his people of tyranny, and the Blueberries had all left their spotted scarves around the memorial. As expected, the circus bugs left with P.T. to continue touring – a rather difficult task when they were all still mourning. The colony's collective grief was quite short-lived too; since most of the ants viewed Flik as little more than a pest – even in the wake of his sacrifice – life returned to normal fairly quickly.

While Atta missed him terribly, she found herself becoming so occupied by her newly-appointed duties as queen that she didn't have time to succumb to her emotions much. That didn't mean she wasn't still hurting, though – her crown simply hid her broken heart. She did her best to not allow her thoughts to wander to images of her ruling with Flik at her side, a future tragically ripped from them. Atta was in charge of an entire colony and she had to focus on what was _actually_ happening rather than what _could_ have happened. She had to be strong for her people more than ever before.

* * *

The one who had been affected the most by Flik's passing was Dot – she never quite got over his death, nor did she ever forgive her sister for what she'd done. Dot firmly believed that, had Atta not killed Flik – even if it was out of compassion – he'd still be alive. Atta did eventually explain to her sibling why she took Flik's life, but Dot still didn't seem to understand that between killing him and letting him live in his mutilated condition, the former was the more humane choice. For a while, Dot even made sure to tell everyone she could that their queen killed Flik in an attempt to make the colony hate Atta as much as Dot did, but nothing really came of it.

The young ant didn't seem to realize that what she was doing could have done far more than just getting everyone mad at Atta. Had they feared that their queen posed any threat to them, they may have revolted and overthrown her. Mass hysteria can be a very powerful force, even among insects. Had Atta killed an ant that more of her people actually cared about (at the risk of sounding insensitive) and for any reason other than mercy, they may very well have deemed her unfit to rule. Atta certainly wasn't happy with her sister's rumor spreading and wound up needing to make a public announcement to quell any doubtful whispers among the colony.

* * *

Dot was upset that her plan to ruin Atta's reign had failed, but all she knew was that her beloved friend was gone because of her sister and it hurt more than any pain the young princess could ever feel or imagine. She couldn't have Flik back and she couldn't avenge him and the young queen-ant-to-be felt terribly alone without her older companion to look up to or to guide her. While she had her family to _care_ for her, Dot felt like Flik was the only one who ever genuinely _understood_ her.

Several months after Flik's death, Dot – who had grown somewhat – visited Flik's grave one last time. She placed a small rock beside the grave in memory of the lesson he taught her. There was a whole world out there beyond the island that she wanted to see. Inspired by Flik's bravery when he first ventured to the city and with the telescope he'd given her in hand, Dot left Ant Island in search of _something:_ meaning, adventure, comfort – she'd take whatever she could get. Dot could only hope that she'd be able to channel just a little bit of Flik's courage to help her find what she was looking for.

 **THE END**

* * *

 _ **Author's notes:** Okay, this is the end of the story for reals so I don't drag it out. I know how stories turn out when they should have ended several chapters (or stories) ago and I don't want to happen with this one. _

_Great big thanks to my wonderful readers who not only gave my story a chance and took time to leave such lovely comments, but also for encouraging me to continue the story beyond the original ending. The result was an additional eight chapters! I hope I haven't left any loose ends anywhere, but if I haven't explained any part of the story clearly or there's an inconsistency somewhere, please somebody let me know so I can fix it.  
_

 _And to answer anyone who's wondering, I know the ending kind of hints at a possible sequel, but_ _ _I don't intend to do one_. Dot isn't a character I personally feel I can write very well, but if anyone else wants to take over and chronicle her adventures outside the island, please feel free to pick up where I've left off. :)_

* * *

 _Also, to address some of the comments..._

 _Sam Fraser: Actually, about two chapters into this story, I started having ideas for something very similar to what you described. I'm not sure I'm going to write it, but it's an idea that's been floating around in my mind for most of the time I've been writing this one as another alternate ending to the film. Thanks for the suggestion! I may consider writing it sometime if there's further reader interest in such a story. For the time being, I think I'm going to take a break from A Bug's Life fanfiction so I don't get too sick of it. :)  
_

 _Guest (about picture chosen for this story's avatar): Thanks! That's actually a screen cap from the film (from the scene where Flik is pouting in the back of the circus wagon). I took it into Adobe Illustrator and live traced it with only three or four colors to create a grayscale image with very dark, dramatic shading._

 _Faith: Nope, Flik wasn't blown away. I know that was probably clearer in the succeeding chapters since he was still there, but in chapter 7, what I was describing was just the sight of his body becoming smaller and smaller and just disappearing from view as Dot and Atta got farther and farther away from him. I may go back and edit that chapter a little if that part was unclear._


End file.
